You've Won
by Random Dice
Summary: Emma fell to her knees. Dropping the bloodied sword from her trembling fingers with a clatter, she stared at the woman in front of her, eyes seeing nothing around them. She couldn't see Henry crying or Rumpelstiltskin crackling.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** You've Won  
><strong>Fandom:<strong> Once Upon a Time  
><strong>Pairings:<strong> Swan Queen, sorta.  
><strong>Rating:<strong> T  
><strong>Spoilers:<strong> No.  
><strong>Summary: <strong>Emma fell to her knees. Dropping the bloodied sword from her trembling fingers with a clatter, she stared at the woman in front of her, eyes seeing nothing around them. She couldn't see Henry crying or Rumpelstiltskin crackling.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> So. There's this.  
><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>I own nothing.

/

Emma fell to her knees. Dropping the bloodied sword from her trembling fingers with a clatter, she stared at the woman in front of her, eyes seeing nothing around them. She couldn't see Henry crying or Rumpelstiltskin crackling. Silence met her ears, no one spoke a word.

A pained chuckle floated into the air and everyone tensed, straightened their backs as if an iron rod was rammed up their spines. The chuckling was followed by gaging and the sickening sound of something wet hitting the asphalt below them.

"Regina…" Emma's green eyes shook.

The Mayor of Storybrooke was held feet from the ground, her wrists tied roughly with rope from the dock with the other ends looped around two telephone poles. The tips of her fingers were turning purple from lack of circulation and the skin that the rope touched was ripped, raw, and bleeding. Emma traced the red from those wounds, seeing them drip down to her elbows, landing in twin puddles of dried blood.

A scarlet grin was spread wide on Regina's face as she looked down at Emma, but the usual malice was gone and all the blonde could see was betrayal. Emma couldn't tear her gaze away from the tortured brown orbs that held her captive. She was responsible for that look. She wasn't the first. She promised in hushed whispers in the darkened room that housed her lover and her son that she wouldn't be another tally in a dark head.

She promised and was told in return that such promises shouldn't be made.

Regina expected Emma to fail her, expected Emma to break her like all those before, and the worst part was Emma proved her right.

Because of her, the pained woman was strung between two poles, defenseless against the attacks that came her way from the angry town's people. Her body weak from no food and hardly any water was barely up to flinching against the flurries of words thrown at her, let alone the physical beatings that were thrust upon her.

Bruises and wounds colored her skin, but it was all nothing compared to the gaping injury in her lower chest. Dark red stole the once healthy hue from the Mayor's skin and left it a stark white. Emma watched as too much blood hit the floor turning black upon impact in larger puddles then from her wrists.

"Regina, I-" She cut herself off, what could she say? She made a deal with the Dark One months ago. It started as a ploy to hurt Regina Mills, as a way to get back at the woman for all the pain she caused Emma, Henry, and the people of Storybrooke.

It started that way.

But somewhere along the way, Emma's feelings shifted and she actually fell for the cold woman. She brought her lunch because she knew sometimes Regina lost track of time and didn't eat. She left post-it notes on bright, red apples on Regina's desk for her to see in the morning. She came with a single flower, different each time, when Regina invited Emma to dinner with her and Henry.

She fell in love with the dark haired woman and forgot the deal she made.

The Imp came to collect and everything collapsed. People remembered and wanted their revenge on the Evil Queen. The rage and blood lust in their eyes could not be quelled, no matter the reasoning by Emma or even Henry.

The boy screamed at her to help his Mother, chasing after the Mayor before being pushed back roughly and landing on the floor. Emma watched with helpless eyes as Regina struggled to reach her son, to comfort him and wipe the tears from his eyes. She wasn't allowed and was quickly shuffled into the town square.

"_Why didn't you do anything?" _Henry screamed at her, hurt deep in his eyes.

"_I made a deal. I couldn't."_ She had tried, but her feet were magically stuck to the floor, there was nothing she could do to reach the woman she loved. She wouldn't tell Henry that, it sounded like an excuse in her head, much more than the words that actually came out of her mouth, and she couldn't have Henry know she was somewhat responsible for what was happening.

"_I hate you!"_ His words cut her deep and she visibly flinched. He took off running to find his Mom.

The scarlet liquid rolled out of Regina's chapped lips, down her chin and disappeared as it dripped. The grin remained in place. "I told you." The woman said, her words empty. Emma shook her head. "I told you promises are best left unmade." The grin slipped for a moment, long enough for Regina to cough up the blood in her chest.

"I had to, I made a deal, but was before I loved you, before when we were still enemies."

"When you were the White Knight." Breathed the broken Queen. "Well how the mighty have fallen." The woman mockingly spoke, but a frown graced her face. "What was his side of the bargain?"

"Regina-"

"What" she shouted as loud as she could, never letting her eyes leave Emma's. "had he offered you that you promised to kill me for?" Emma eyes welled with tears, blurring her vision, but not blocking out Regina.

"That the curse would be broken." She wanted to hang her head in shame, but she couldn't break her eye contact with the Mayor, the Queen, the woman she loved. "I didn't know!" She said, a few tears escaping her eyelids. "I didn't know that I'd fall in love with you, I didn't know that we'd…That we'd be happy." She whispered.

"I knew we weren't real."

"No! We were, I swear!"

Dulling eyes blinked sluggishly. "No, we weren't. If we were, you would have told me of the deal and we could have found a way around it. There is always a loop hole. But now, I am hung here for the slaughter." Regina's head lulled weakly to look at her hands to make a point. "I could have told you that killing me wouldn't break the curse, it would only ensure that it would never be broken."

"What?"

"Rumpelstiltskin has more to lose than anyone of us. Back home, he is stuck in a cage that limits him more then he'd like. Here, he is free to do as he wishes, free to do as he pleases. Here he doesn't carry the stigma of the Dark One." Her words slowed and her breathing shallowed. "You played into his hands."

"Regina, I don't understand." Emma shook her head, her blonde curls hitting her neck and cheeks. "I don't-"

"'The White Knight will only save the distressed if the white remains pure'." She gasped out. "You have tainted yourself by spilling my blood. By taking my life, you have failed to help those in this town who really need it."

"I can still be the White Knight, I can still save you!" Emma jumped to her feet and moved toward Regina. The older woman began laughing darkly, coldly, stopping the blonde woman in her tracks.

"My dear, I am already gone." A soft smirk played at her lips. "Your dear Rumpel as made sure of that."

"Your Majesty, you give me far too much credit. I rarely work alone in my deals." Sing-songed the light, airy voice of Rumpelstiltskin himself, much too pleased with the outcome of this deal. Regina ignored him and let her lips twitch in a semi-smile.

"You've won…Miss Swan." A dark head rolled back with dark eyes staring sightlessly up into grey rain clouds.

_The End_


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** You've Won  
><strong>Fandom:<strong> Once Upon a Time  
><strong>Pairings:<strong> Swan Queen  
><strong>Rating:<strong> T  
><strong>Spoilers:<strong> No.  
><strong>Summary: <strong>Emma fell to her knees. Dropping the bloodied sword from her trembling fingers with a clatter, she stared at the woman in front of her, eyes seeing nothing around them. She couldn't see Henry crying or Rumpelstiltskin crackling.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> And this.  
><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>I own nothing.

/

"No," Emma breathed. Her knees smacked the ground again and pain sharply radiated up and down her legs as gravel dug into the thin skin. She stared at the Mayor's body with wide, horrified eyes. "No." Rumpelstiltskin bounced in his spot, clapping his hands in a boyish way that preceded him. Henry was screaming and hitting James who held him back. "No!"

Emma lifted the sword from the ground, ignoring the blood that stained the strong blade, and stood on shaky legs that resembled a new born deer. She moved forward until she was as close as she could be to Regina. Only then did she notice one lone tear track on the dead woman's cheek. Her mouth trembled, but that didn't stop her from raising the weapon over her head.

"Emma! What are you doing?" Snow White yelled to her. Emma briefly glanced back. The town stood on the sidewalk, watching her with terror. She understood that they didn't understand Regina like Emma did, like Henry did. The boy elbowed James where no man wants to be hit and immediately dashed toward her, his eyes only for his hung up Mother.

"Undoing what should have never happened." She looked back up at Regina. A sad smile tilted on Emma's lips. She did this.

But she could undo this.

"Emma, wait!" Red's voice stopped her momentarily.

"I'm not stopping Ruby, I'm going through with this."

"I know." The dark haired beauty stood next to Emma now, a dagger in hand. "If you do this alone, you'll risk injuring her further." Emma looked her in disbelief and Red saw that and smiled.

"Why would you…?"

"I know how you feel about her, remember?" Red nudged Emma with a shoulder and held up her smaller blade with a grin. "You ready?" Emma nodded, her eyes filling with tears. She pushed Henry to the side so he wouldn't get hurt. She swung the sword a moment after Red threw the knife, both hitting the rope at the same time.

The blonde threw the sword to down quickly and moved to catch Regina as fast as she could. The dead weight of the dark woman sent Emma to the floor, but the blonde managed to cushion her fall almost completely. She rolled and rested Regina on the ground.

Her brown eyes held a fogging filter over them as they continued to look at the world about them. Henry was on his hands and knees by Regina's head, shaking her. "Mom! Mom wake up!" His cries pierced Emma's heart.

"Henry." She put her hand on his shoulder and tried to gently push him away, but he wasn't having it. He leaned over his Mother and pressed his face into hers, not bothered by the coolness settling over her or her senseless orbs eying nothing. He sobbed and whispered little things that only the two would know. "Henry-"

"_Do you remember when you taught me to ride my bike-"_

Rumpelstiltskin's crooked laughter had Emma glaring at him. "Dearie, our Majesty is beyond the grave now." His green, almost scaly flesh moved a step towards them. Red released a growl that vibrated everyone's bones as she moved to stand in front of Emma and the Mills.

"_-and I fell into the rosebush-"_

The Dark One giggled and stepped forward again, to see what reaction he would get from the girl in red. Her eyes flashed gold as another menacing growl ripped itself from her throat. Granny ran to Red's side with surprising speed and she put her weathering hands held onto Red's arm.

"_-and I scratched my face and was crying, telling you I wouldn't go on the bike ever again-"_

"Channeling our inner wolf, are we?" His high voice asked mockingly. He faked a look into the sky where clouds still hung. "And not a full moon in sight. Is this something you've learned to do, Little Red?" He twirled a little, laughing at her openly. "I seem to recall a time when you came to me to rid you of your beast within after a run in with a boy by the name of Peter."

"_-and you sat in the grass next to me-"_

Red dropped into a crouch, her teeth jagged and sharp as a needle. "Ah-ah ah," He sing-songed. "Not in front of the innocent." He motioned to Henry and Emma, the only in the town to never see Red Riding Hood in her true form. "Won't want to scare them, now would we?" He stage whispered with a giddy grin. Her snarl stayed, but she took a half-step back.

"_-and kissed my scratches-"_

"Princess Emma," Rumpelstiltskin bowed in such a manner that it mocked every person who saw it. "I'm sorry to tell you that no matter what you do, our Queen is lost forever in the land of souls. Though what you planned to do I'm sure was noble."

"_-and they felt better. Your kisses always made me feel better."_

Emma snapped her head to Henry who still hovered over his Mother's still body. _Your kisses always made me feel better._ Her mind swirled. _Your kisses. _She couldn't, could she? "Henry, kid, move please."

"No! You did this, you tricked her!" He yelled lifting his tear stained face to hers.

"And I'm going to make it better, but I can't do that if you're leaning over her like that." She looked him directly in the eyes. "Please Henry." He searched her eyes for a minute before letting his gaze fall to his Mom, jump to the Dark One, and back to Emma.

"But he said-"

"He says a lot of things." Emma told him. "You have to trust me. You have to let me try." He swallowed thickly and looked at him Mom. He bent down and kissed her forehead, mumbling something that Emma couldn't hear and sat back, near, but not on top of, Regina. "Thank you."

She studied Regina. The woman had stopped bleeding the moment her heart stopped, but that didn't take away the blood that already drenched her body. Pulling her green eyes away from Regina's broke form, Emma puts her hand over open lids. She pressed down to bring the thin skin over glazed over irises.

Emma lifted Regina's upper body, cradling her head as softly as she could and rested the woman's weight on the blonde's crisscrossed legs. Her thumb stroked her cheek. It was crusty from where the tear dried. Emma let out a half-sob, half-choked chuckle before pressing her lips to Regina's.

Rumpelstiltskin roared with laughter, leaning back and screeching in delighted squeals.

Regina was cold and unresponsive. Her mouth didn't move under Emma's, not to nip playfully or to bite harshly or to sooth her. She was still and she didn't move a hair. Emma pulled back an inch and felt her chest collapse in on itself.

She didn't know what she thought was going to happen. She wasn't Regina's true love, that was Daniel. Emma wanted to hit herself for being so stupid, for giving Henry false hope that she could bring his Mother back from the dead. She wanted to cry because she knew in her heart of hearts that the dead woman in her arms was her true love, her one and done, her forever.

And she was dead.

"This is too much!" Rumpelstiltskin rumbled, dancing in his spot. "This is too much! You thought-" His voice broke off as he continued laughing, unable to contain himself. "You thought that true love's kiss would bring her-"

"Stop it!" Henry screamed at the man, tears evident in his young voice that seemed to age twenty years and not at the same time. Emma shook her head where it rested on Regina's cheek. "Just stop it!"

The creature that was once a man tilted his head, all laughter gone from his face and body. "Has no one taught you how to speak to your elders, Prince Henry?" He place one foot forward, only being stopped by a growl and shouts from the crowd. Red slid into his path, now itching to feel her body transform and lunge at him. "Little Red."

Her throaty response had him back off, with a sneer on his face to show his growing dislike for her. Snow was beside Red, pulling the woman with all her strength. "What would Peter think, Red?" The name of her first love did nothing to stop her. "Red, please don't. Not with all these people around."

Gold eyes shook, changing back and forth from Red's eyes to the wolf's. She relented, but not by much. The Dark One tisked at her and grinned when Snow's hold tightened. "Princess, how did that kiss work?" He asked, keeping his line of sight on Red. "Did it bring back the woman you love? Did she start breathing and kiss you back like her life depended on it? As it had."

Emma felt her tears falling off her cheeks and smearing on Regina's skin. Henry grabbed his Mother's hand and used it to cradle his cheek, his own tears falling. "Leave them alone." Cinderella hissed from her spot next to Thomas.

"Can't you see they're grieving?" A random person questioned angrily.

Henry listened to the people argue and yell at Rumpelstiltskin who looked on with amusement. He tried to block them out, but it was too loud, too nosy. He couldn't focus on anything. Everything was blurring and becoming fuzzy in his ears. The only thing grounding him was his Mother's hand on his face and the pressure against his skin. His eyes flew open at the feel of her fingertips pressing into his cheek. "Mom?"

Things were silent again. Emma yanked her head away from Regina and stared to see if she could see what Henry felt. Everyone looked at them. Rumpelstiltskin had sheer disgust and anger and confusion and fear etched into every pore on his face. "It can't be." He muttered.

The air was still as they held their breaths. She was pale. She was covered in blood. Her heart wasn't beating. She was limp. She was _dead_. "Regina…?" Emma said softly. Suddenly the body jolted and lungs sucked in air. Eyes slammed open. Brown was underneath eyelids and they frantically moved around, disoriented. A heart pounded to fill veins with blood.

She was alive.

_The End_


End file.
